Barnaby Joyce 'should have suspected he was a New Zealand citizen', lawyer tells High Court

The political fates of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce and six others are being decided in a three-day High Court hearing that could threaten the viability of the Turnbull Government.

Dual Citizenship Issue

Source: AAP

If Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce is found ineligible under Section 44 it would trigger a by-election.

That by-election in New England would place the Turnbull Government's one-seat majority at risk.

The government is arguing the politicians who did not know they were dual citizens, including Mr Joyce, should be excused.

The High Court's deliberations continued on Wednesday to determine whether seven politicians who were dual citizens around the time they entered parliament should be forced to resign under Section 44 of the Constitution.

The 'Citizenship Seven' come from across the political spectrum: The Nationals' Barnaby Joyce, Fiona Nash and former minister Matt Canavan; former Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Larissa Waters; One Nation's Malcolm Roberts and the NXT's Nick Xenophon. They all claim they were unaware of their dual citizenship until recently.


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